Moths

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Moth \Moth\, n.; pl. {Moths} (m[o^]thz). [OE. mothe, AS.
     mo[eth][eth]e; akin to D. mot, G. motte, Icel. motti, and
     prob. to E. mad an earthworm. Cf. {Mad}, n., {Mawk}.]
     1. (Zool.) Any nocturnal lepidopterous insect, or any not
        included among the butterflies; as, the luna moth; Io
        moth; hawk moth.


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     2. (Zool.) Any lepidopterous insect that feeds upon garments,
        grain, etc.; as, the clothes moth; grain moth; bee moth.
        See these terms under {Clothes}, {Grain}, etc.
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     3. (Zool.) Any one of various other insects that destroy
        woolen and fur goods, etc., esp. the larvae of several
        species of beetles of the genera {Dermestes} and
        {Anthrenus}. Carpet moths are often the larvae of
        {Anthrenus}. See {Carpet beetle}, under {Carpet},
        {Dermestes}, {Anthrenus}.
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     4. Anything which gradually and silently eats, consumes, or
        wastes any other thing.
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     {Moth blight} (Zool.), any plant louse of the genus
        {Aleurodes}, and related genera. They are injurious to
        various plants.
  
     {Moth gnat} (Zool.), a dipterous insect of the genus
        {Bychoda}, having fringed wings.
  
     {Moth hunter} (Zool.), the goatsucker.
  
     {Moth miller} (Zool.), a clothes moth. See {Miller}, 3,
        (a) .
  
     {Moth mullein} (Bot.), a common herb of the genus {Verbascum}
        ({Verbascum Blattaria}), having large wheel-shaped yellow
        or whitish flowers.
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